Brake-adjusting device



May 6, 1930. R. N. VAN BUSKIRK 1,757,343

BRAKE ADJUSTING DEVICE Filed April 14g, 1928 ZFTQE.. 7 /4 Y 54-1-60 g4.

c, ""1""17", (l IHVENTOR ATTO R H EY Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE ROBERT N. VAN BUSKIRK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGN, ASSIGNOR TOBENDIX :BRAKE COMPANY, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOISIBRAKE-ADJUSTING DEVICE Application filed April 14,

This invention relates to adjustments for I brakes and the like, and isillustrated as embodied in a novel fioating ladjustable eXpansion jointconnecting the shoes of a brake of the type in which one shoe anchorswhen the drum is turning in one direction and the other shoe anchorswhen the drum is turning in the other direction. j

Various features of novelty relate to pro viding an adjustment-operatingdevice eX- tending through the backing plate of the brake, and shown asgeared to the adjustable connecting member; to providing a support forthe operating device carried by the ad justing or connecting member sothat the Whole adjustment mayfloat as a unit; and to the provision ofsimple means to lock the adjustment When made.

The above and other objects and features of the invention, including'various novel and desirable structural details, Willbe apparent fromthe following description of the illustrative embodiments shown in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the brake, just inside the headof the brake drum, and showing in side elevation `the brake shoes andthe novel adjustment;

Figure 2 is a view of the adjustment, on a larger scale than Figure 1,and partly in elevation and partly incentral section;

Figure 3 is a section through the novel adjustment on the tline .3-3 0fFigure 2; v Figure 4 is a perspective .View of the locking device Whichsupports-the laterally-extending operating member; and

Figure 5 is adiagrammatic elevation of a modified adjustment.

The illustrated brake includes a rotatable drum 10, at the open side ofwhich is a support such as a backing plate 12, and within Which is-thefriction means of the brake. The friction means in'this particular brakeincludes interchangeable shoes 14connected by a novel floatingadjustable expansion joint,y and expanded against the resistance ofsprings 16 to apply the brake by means such as a cam 18. The brakingtorque may, if desired, be taken by cam 1 8, one shoe an ychoringagainst the cam in one direction of 1928. Serial No. 270,018.

drum rotation and the other shoe anchoring against the cam in the otherdirection of drum rotation. An auxiliary spring 20 urges one shoeagainst an adjustable eccentric stop 22 when the brake is released.

The novel adjustment includes a rotatable right-and-left threaded member24 having an enlargement or collar V26 at its center, the collar beingpreferably in the form of a Worm gear. Member 24 is threaded into twoparts 28. generally hemispherical in form, Which are seated incorrespondinglyshaped recesses formed by 'flanges 30 on reinforcingplates 32 projection-Welded to opposite sides of the Webs of the shoes.Plates 30 are formed with half-sockets facing toward each other andaording spaces into which the ends of member 24 project.

A resilient looped device 34 of spring steel has a slot 36 through whichthe ends of mem ber 24 project, so that device 34 is supported on andcarried by member 24 with collar or gear 26 embraced by device 34. Thebottom of device 34 is looped to form a pair of spaced supports in whichare journaled an operating member such as a shaft 38 formed with a Wormor gear meshing with the teeth of gear 26 between these spaced supports.Member 38 has at one end a Washer 40 held by a cotter pin 42 andengaging device 34 in a manner to prevent endwise movement in onedirection, andalso has sleevedon its other endtWo Washers 44 and 46urged by a spring 48 apart against device 34 and backing plate l2Vrespectively.

Member 38 passes through a relatively large opening 50 in the backingplate, so that it may float freely with the above-described floatingexpansible joint. Opening 50 may be closed by a washer 52 held by a headQ4 formed, if desired, with openings 56 for a suitable adjusting tool58. It Will' be seen that turning the operating member 38 by means ofthe tool `58 will force parts 28 apart to make the adjustment.

To preserve the adjustment when made, device 34 may have pawls or teeth60 depressed in its ends, for engagement with depressions or rack teeth6 2 formed in the opposite sides of collar 26, thus normally lockingmember 24 against turning.

In Figure 5, the ends of the device 184 are looped around to formresilient portions 64 5 engaging the ends of shoes Hand having ears 66embracing the ends of the shoes.

While tWo 'illustrative embodiments have been described in detail, vitis not my intention, to limit the scope of the invention to thoseparticular embodiments, or otherwise than by the terms of the appendedclaims,

f ing jointincluding a right-and-left threaded member adjustablyconnecting said frictionmembers and a device extending laterally of saidmembers and which is operable' to turn said threaded member to make theadjustment.

3. A floating adjustable joint for a brake or the like comprising, incombination, a pair of floating threaded thrust parts,`a rightand-leftthreaded member adjustably vconnecting said parts and floating With saidparts and which has a central Worm gear, and an operating Worm meshingwith said gear and extendingsubstantially at right angles to said memberand which floats with said member.

4. A floating adjustable joint fora brake or the like comprising, incombination, a pair of floating threaded thrust parts, a right-andleftthreaded member adjustably connecting said parts and floating with saidparts and which has ya central Worm gear, and an operating Worm meshingwith said gear and extending substantially at right angles to saidmember.- j

5. A brake comprising, in'combination, a drum, friction means Within thedrum., a backing plate at the open side of the drum having a relativelylarge opening, an adjusting member floating With the friction means andextending through said opening and operable from outside the backingplate, and means inside of the drum operated by said member to adjustthe friction means.

y6. A brake comprising, in combination, a drum, friction means Withinthe drum., a backingplate at the open side of the ldrum having arelatively large opening, a floating adjusting member extending throughsaid opening and operable from outside the backing plate, and meansinside of the drum operated by said member to adjust the friction 65means.

Aadjusting member extending through said 7.A A brake comprising, incombination, a drum, friction means Within the drum, a backing plate atthe openside of the drum having a relatively large opening, a floatingopening and operable from outside the backing plate, and a floating'device Within thedrum geared to said member and operated thereby toadjust the friction means.V

8. A brake comprising, in combination, a drum, friction means Within thedrum, a backing plate at the' open side of the drum having a relativelylarge opening, a floating adj usting member extending through saidopening and operable from outside the backing plate, and a floatingdevice within the drum geared to said member and operated thereby toadjust the friction means, together with `means supported by said deviceand Which vsupports said member.

9. A brake comprising, in combination, friction means having a floatingadustment, a rotatable laterally-extending part rotatable to operate theadjustment, and means carried by the adjustment and in which said partis journaled.

10. An'adjustment for a brake or the like comprising, in combination, arotatable adjusting member, a looped device supported on said member,and an operating device for said member journaled in the looped' portionof said device.

11. An adjustment for a brake or the like comprising, in combination, arotatable adjusting member having a gear, a looped device supported onsaid member and embracing said gear, and an operating device for saidmember journaled in the looped portion of said device and having a partmeshing with said gear.

12. An adjustment comprising, in combination, a rotatable member havinga central operating portion, a resilient ,device supported by saidmember and embracing said portion,land an operating device supported bythe resilient device and arranged to turn said member,

13. An adjustment comprising, in combination, a rotatable member havinga central operating portion, a resilient device sup- `ported by saidmember and embracing said portion and yieldingly locking said portionnormally against turning, and an operating device supported by theresilient device and arranged to turn said member. i

14. An adjustment comprising, in combination, arotatable member having acentral operating portion, and a resilient device supported by saidmember and embracing said portion.

15. An adjustment comprising two operatively engaging members, incombination with a device sup orted by one member and supporting the oter member and normally 13e lockingat least one of said members toprevent adjusting movement.

16. An adustment comprising two intermeshng gear members, in combinationwith a device supported by one member and in which the other member isjournaled and which normallylocks at least one of said members toprevent adjusting movement.

In` testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name. Y

f ROBERT N. VAN BUSKIRK.

